New Year's Resolutions?

Do you do resolutions? I never really have. The year before last year, I decided to lose some more weight and after the round of New Year's parties, swore off liquor for 6 weeks a la the Oprah boot camp diet. That, in addition to my workout plan, lost me the last 30 pounds I needed to lose to get back to my target weight--which of course is gone now that there are two other human beings living in my abdomen. :) When people asked how we did it (Andrew lost about 50 pounds too) we said "oh it's easy. Just change your entire life" (exercise and eat right!) Change can be so hard, but once you've done it, I think you usually look back and think "what was I fighting it for all this time?"

But other than that, I've never really done a resolution. I stopped biting my nails about two years ago, on the plan that I wanted to have fingernails for my best friend's wedding, at which I was the most important person. (You know, the maid of honor.) I couldn't believe it was possible-- I'd been a nail biter all my life-- down to the little nubby bits and sometimes even encouraging infections in the cuticle.

Last year, I decided to study & become an aerobics instructor-- which I did. Which was pretty cool; even if it's something I'm not going to do much longer.

I'm not really inclined to do resolutions this year, either, but I can see why some people like to. I must, which is obvious to me and pretty much anyone else who knows the situation, do whatever the heck I can to get to a good place on my dissertation, for reasons of which regular readers are quite aware. Suggestions to not worry about it and do it later aren't going to work cause I have a deadline at the University-- you have to be done within five years of your preliminary exams-- which will be in September of 06, if my math is correct. So I don't have that much time. (You can take longer, of course, but it means you have to retake your prelims, which would NOT be a good development.)

When you work, as I usually do, in the University system, you kind of get several chances a year to "start over." With each new semester, you get a new batch of students, a new chance to try something that might work, to get rid of those things you know didn't work last time. When you're an adjunct like I have been, you even often get a new office cause they move you around like a hobo. You pack your boxes with all those handouts you saved all semester and wonder why you kept 60 copies of your introductory day handout (which was dated, and you won't use again anyway!) And throw away the daily homework students hand in and never pick up. But there is a fresh feeling on campuses usually, and it affects everyone. I miss that a bit right now not being there. Time seems to blur into one long blurry guilt-ridden (cause I should be writing) day. No fresh starts until I'm done with the document from Hell!

But what about you guys? Do you plan any resolutions? Or are you just the kind of person who, when change needs to happen, does it no matter what time of the year? I really am curious. Weigh in on comments and I'll reward whoever has the coolest ideas with some sort of literary prize. :) (Bribes. I know how you folks work.)